Fussy

Austin has been a little fussy lately. I think he's either teething (still due for that last set of molars), going through a growth spurt (he's been drinking lots of milk lately - the record was 13 oz. at a recent meal), or just plain entering his "twos" (with increasing "no's.") He has his happy moments but he has more frequent fussy moments and occasionally he can be quick to get upset.

He also wants to do more things on his own (like buckling his own seatbelt) and he's starting to explore his independence and test his limits.

Things to do this summer

I have a lot of fun plans for this summer. It gets more exciting to make plans as Austin gets older and can do more things. I just wanted to share some links if you're looking for ideas for summer activities in the Los Angeles area.

Summer Adventure Guide 2009 from the Mommy Adventure Club
http://www.mommyadventureclub.com/articles/summer-adventure-guide

101 Memory Making Adventures for a Childhood in Los Angeles
http://www.mommyadventureclub.com/articles/101-memory-making-adventure

Los Angeles attractions:
http://www.smartdestinations.com/attractionList.ep?filters=_d_Lax_Att&pass=go

Now I need to find more weekends to do everything.

Random Pics

Mmm. "Go-durt!" (Yogurt)


Learning to catch the ball. "I got it!"


"Sheep." "Baahaahaa"


At it again with the big shoes. Watching the ice cream truck go by.

Summer Concert

We went back to Polliwog Park this evening, after Austin's long three-hour nap, to enjoy the first summer concert in the park for the season. It was a nice evening, we found great parking and enjoyed the Dixieland sounds of the Hyperion Outfall Serenaders.

Austin was very happy to be at the park, but was more interested in exploring, running around and seeing the other kids.

Swim Class

We went to Austin's first swim class at Begg Pool in Manhattan Beach this morning. As we were getting ready, I kept asking Austin if he wanted to go swimming in the pool, everytime he would say, "YES!"

It was a little breezy when we got there, but the water temperature was warm. Austin was afraid of being in the pool at first. The instructor led us in some songs then had us try to get the babies to move their arms to get to a toy or kick their legs. Austin wasn't so sure about it at first, but was much happier once he found a toy. He was eventually comfortable enough that I could get him to paddle with his arms, kick his legs or get on the little kick board.

Austin held on tight at the beginning.


He was much more comfortable with a toy to play with.

We had a lot of fun. I showered Austin then cleaned myself off before Willis had to rushed off to his basketball game. I took Austin to Giuliano's to pick up some lunch. He almost fell asleep on the way, but I was able to keep him awake. It was such a nice day, Austin and I sat and ate at the tables right outside. I put him down for a nap as soon as we got home and he fell asleep right away.

Always more fun with a buddy

Willis played in the Nisei Week Tournament in Whittier this weekend. Austin watched most of the first game from my lap and kept yelling "Go Daddy!" The second game was against friends of ours and Austin had a playmate.

Austin and Tesshin didn't want to just sit around watching the game, so Joy and I missed the majority of it watching them. The boys played together - running, laughing, following each other, passing the basketball back and forth and being silly. They had so much fun!

Willis' team won their first game, but lost the second so they didn't get a third game. It was still a fun evening and we enjoyed seeing lots of old friends around the gym.

ABC's

Austin is just starting to try to sing along when I sing a song he knows. He inserts a word here and there. He also said some letters along with me as I was saying the alphabet to him today. A couple of weeks ago I sang the alphabets to him and he listened intently the whole song then surprised me by saying "z" with me at the end and "singing" the "now I know my abc's...." tune part along with me, followed by "yay" and clapping.

Girls vs. Boys

When I picked up Austin from day care yesterday, there were four kids left in his class, Austin and three girls. In the short time that I was there, Makenna gave Austin two hugs and Lucca showered him with many hugs and kisses, catching him every couple of minutes (one time Austin actually wiped his cheek with his hand after a kiss on the cheek).

Girls are so affectionate.

Austin, on the other hand, looked at me and said, "bump....bump" I said, "what's that?" He then walked over to Makenna and head butted her.

Sigh... Boys.

Quotes

Quotes:
Gud mohnin'
Mahmus and Percy
I got it!

Other words:
Helicopter = patew
Picture = pichoo
Tractor = gatoe
Cheerios = yo yos
Stroller = ya yo
card = caud
Winnie the Pooh = pooh

Noah's Ark at the Skirball

We met up with Lucca and her family at the Skirball Museum to check out the Noah's Ark exhibit. It is a wooden ark filled with animals made out of recycled materials and everyday objects like bicycle parts, scrap wood, macaroni, rope, and wire.

As soon as Lucca saw Austin, she smiled and ran over to give him a hug. They stood next to each other and looked around the ark. Then they both made elephant noises when they saw the elephant above.


Hugs and kisses from Lucca.


Looking around from inside the ark.


Austin found a ball in the snake's mouth then tried to stick it back in.

It was a cool exhibit, but once was really enough for me. There was another exhibit at the museum featuring the golden age of comic books, that was also pretty cool. We only had a few minutes to look since it was near closing time so Austin and I watched some old Popeye cartoons that were playing while Willis quickly looked around at the displays. I heard him going from case to case saying, "...Ooh, first edition of [fill in the blank]!"

After the museum we had dinner at Marie Callendar's on the way to see Ryan and Eve's new town home. A big congrats to them on their new place! We hung out at their apartment while they ate dinner and I rummaged through Eve's giveaway boxes (A big thanks to Eve for letting me pick through her old stuff!). We then dropped Willis off to help work on their new townhome and headed home.

Welcome baby Ellie

I had plans to have brunch with my friend, Debbie, today. She just started her maternity leave on Monday and I wanted to see her before she had her baby. The other night she had some bad Braxton Hicks contractions that kept her up so she called to cancel in case anything happened. It's a good thing she did because her little one decided today was the day. I got the call from her this morning that baby Ellie was born. I can't wait to visit them! Congrats to Debbie and Delon and welcome to Ellie!

Hello, my name is Trouble

This is the shirt I put Austin in today. We received it from the Wong ladies at my baby shower and it's very fitting now that he's starting to live up to it. The other day his teacher was telling me that he and a couple of his classmates, Brad and Dylan, get together and get into mischief. She said especially Austin and Brad, they'll go play on the bikes together, one copies the other and then they get into trouble together.

I also learned that Austin will soon be graduating from the table with the cutouts to the big table at mealtimes.

Some dialogue

Austin saw the milk carton in the fridge.
Austin: Milk
Me: You can have milk when you go to day care.
Austin: Okay
(This is the first I've heard him use "okay" instead of "yes")

I picked out a t-shirt for Austin and showed it to him before putting it on.
Austin: Dastin (He thinks all words are his name)
Me: This says Hello, my name is trouble (while pointing at the words)
Me: Is that your name?
Austin: Trouble (while pointing at himself)

Last night, as we were getting ready to take a walk to Costco, Austin saw his Thomas train and said, "Percy is green." (And Percy IS green) I think his two word sentences are evolving and he will soon be saying longer and more complex sentences.

Yo-yo

When we came home today, I barely pulled Austin out of his carseat when he saw his stroller and asked to get in it. (He loves riding in a stroller, he sees one and wants to get in it) He said, "yo-yo... yo-yo!" (translation: "stroller, stroller!") So, I put him in the stroller and parked him in the driveway. He sat there content to watch the cars drive by for about 10 min while I took the opportunity to trim the rose bushes.

Birthday Party

Austin and I went to my co-worker's granddaughter's 1st birthday party yesterday (Willis had a basketball game so he couldn't join us). We headed there right after Austin woke up from his nap and was excited when I asked him if he wanted to go to the birthday party.

After we had a bite to eat, Austin followed Summer (my co-worker, Nikki's daughter) around. They left so Austin and I went to sit by the pool watching some six-year-old girls nearby. They reached down to feel the water and he wanted to put his hand in too (I was relieved that he didn't get upset when I wouldn't let him touch the water), they played with the duck-shaped chlorine holder in the pool and he followed and laughed when the duck bobbed around in the water, they walked over to the outdoor bar and he followed. My little guy loves being around other kids. (I don't know why there were only girls at this party, where were all the boys??)

We ate a little for dinner while everyone else was busy watching the Lakers game (which ended up being the last game of the NBA Finals). Austin explored the backyard and played a little with Elise, the birthday girl. He wanted to do everything she did - touch a knob that she was touching, hold my hand when she was holding someone hand and wanted to be carried when she was picked up. Elise isn't walking on her own yet so I took her hand and Austin's hand and went for a little walk. Austin didn't seem jealous, he just wanted to hold my hand because she was, then he tried to hold her hand for ring around the rosy, but she kept pulling her hand away. We finally went home when the Lakers were up by 16 points and it was close to the end of the fourth quarter.

Austin and Summer (4 yrs old)

Elise and Austin

Austin checking out the treats in his goody bag. (He especially liked the kazoo when I showed him how to use it. He tried to hand me a candy and said, "help, help" wanting me to open it for him. I'm glad he doesn't know what candy is yet so I was able to tell him "not now." He got distracted and forgot about it.)

Last night, I was sitting with Austin and he turned to me and signed "milk" while also saying it. It's so rare for him to sign nowadays that I had a flashback to his younger, signing days and it just made me smile.

Truck

When we got in the car to go home from day care, Austin was looking at his truck... Then he said, "Rawrr!" Is that really the sound trucks make?

A mother's gift

I read a very sweet story today. I love how this mother's modest handmade gift made her little one so happy. I hope to be able to give Austin many of these kinds of moments in our future.

http://overwhelmedwithjoy.blogspot.com/2009/06/superhero-is-born.html

Where's your button?

Austin likes to point out his belly button. This is what he does when you ask him, "Where's your button?"



This is what happens when I leave him for a couple of minutes to get something from the kitchen. No wonder he was so quiet.

Our Little Bandit strikes again

This morning I opened a little bottle of bubbles that we got at the Torrance City Yard open house to show Willis the cute fold up bubble wand and how bad the bubble solution was. I spilled some on the floor so I put the bottle, cover and wand down on a magazine on the table so I could get a towel to wipe it up. I cleaned the floor and forgot about the bottle.

Later, I walked by the table and saw that it was wet and the bubble stuff was gone. I realized that I forgot to put the bottle away and figured Willis threw it away. A couple minutes later Willis said, "did you give that to him (meaning Austin)?" I looked at Austin and he had the bottle, cover and wand and had taken them to the coffee table, rubbing bubble solution all over the table like finger paint. I then realized that I didn't spill liquid on the table, just the floor and magazine. It was our little bandit who swiped the bottle and spilled on the table. I couldn't get mad, he looked so cute looking at us with a confused expression. We couldn't help but laugh. He's got sharp eyes and things on tables are definitely not safe anymore.


Big trouble really does come in small packages

Morning at the park

It sprinkled a little yesterday morning so, instead of walking all the way down to the beach for their field trip, Austin's class went to the Sand Dune park down the street for the morning (their beach trip will be rescheduled). The park was close enough to rush back to day care if it started raining. I may have felt a few little sprinkles, but the weather ended up being pretty warm and sunny and the kids still had a lot of fun. We got an opportunity to watch Austin playing with his classmates, roaming around making choices for himself, deciding what he wants to do, interacting with his teachers. He is maturing so fast. I was chatting with Ms. Rosie about potty training and how Austin knows when he needs to go poo-poo and she said that they have read books about it in class. She also said we should start potty training now because he's ready and he's too smart.




Don't Worry, Be Silly

We ate lunch at the park with the class then walked back to day care. We decided to let Austin nap and spend the rest of the day at day care. The beds were already set up and he laid down right away and probably fell asleep as soon as his head hit the sheet.

Having a picnic lunch and the kids napping in their classroom (The second pic is a little blurry since I didn't want to use flash, Austin is the one under the white blanket with giraffes on it).

The Shaws were still at our house when we got home so we went to eat at Taiko with them. I finally got to carry Nathan around and hang out with him a bit.